History

Details

House. c1570 for Sir Christopher Wandesford, with early C18 and C19
alterations. Rubblestone, ashlar and red brick, partly rendered, Welsh
slate roof. Part 2 storeys plus attics with very tall first-floor piano
nobile and part 3 storeys. Roof and eaves at continuous level. 6 bays to
east front, west front has scattered fenestration and gabled cross wings to
each end. To north a lower 2-storey brick service wing with stone
dressings. East front: quoins. Central board door under 4-centred arch, to
its left are three 16-pane sashes and a small side-sliding sash with glazing
bars. To right a 3-light 24-pane side-sliding sash and two 16-pane sashes.
First floor: 4 left-hand bays to piano nobile have tall 18-pane sashes. 2
right-hand bays of 3 storeys with 16-pane sashes and 8-pane side-sliding
sashes above them. To roof are 2 gabled dormers with side-sliding sashes.
End stack to right and 2 to ridge. To left is parapeted gable with moulded
coping and stone finials to bottom of gable. Left return (south side) has 2
bays, that to right wider and gabled. Side-sliding sash set in recessed and
chamfered opening to ground floor left and 16-pane sash to right, above are
2 similar 18-pane sashes as those to east front. Above a moulded string
course below gable which has side-sliding sash with glazing bars, plus
vestiges of earlier opening above. West front: quoins. Right-hand gabled
bay has 3-light stone mullion windows to ground and first floors, above in
gable is a 3-light chamfered mullion and transom window. Parapeted gable,
with stone finial to left and moulded coping. Left-hand gabled bay has C20
half-glazed door to left with 3-light casement to its right and a small
stone mullion 2-light window to centre. First floor has central wooden
mullion and transom window. To its right a 2-light stone mullion window and
to its left remains of blocked original 3-light mullion and transom window.
Above is a large 4-light wooden mullion and transom window. Parapeted gable
above, probably rebuilt in C19. To right return on this cross wing on
first-floor level is a corbelled wall set diagonally to corner with lead
roof. Other bays between have full-height rendered embattled parapeted C19
addition of no special interest. Behind this addition can be seen at first-
floor level a large corbelled external stack with two shafts to right, to
left inside can be seen remains of corbels of similar stack. To inside
returns of cross wings are 4-centred arched stone doorways. Brick service
wing to north has 2 and 3-light stone mullion windows to each floor.
Interior: south-west cross wing has framed newel staircase up to second
floor. First floor: to south, drawing room has full set of late C16
panelling. Each panel has a fluted Doric pilasters with carved archivolt
above. This is interspersed occasionally with full-height fluted
pilasters. Early C18 bolection moulded fire surround set in elaborate C17
panelled overmantel with dogtooth motif to panelling and flanking fluted
pilasters. To centre panel is a large coat of arms of the Earls of
Huntingdon with rampant lions and helmet above. Ribbed plaster ceiling with
pendants and coats of arms of the Wandesford and Bouces family,
W
below a frieze with arches, shells, lions and initials C E of Sir
Christopher Wandesford and Elizabeth Bowes 1590. Panelling is reset but
ceiling is original. Adjacent is the smoking room with an early C18 eared
architraved fire surround and consoled mantelpiece. Panelled overmantel of
similar date. The panelling covering the rest of the walls is C17. Above
is a large heavy wooden early C18 cornice. Further to the north is a
bedroom with a large early C18 glass fronted cupboard with original round-
arched sash in timber architrave with tall keystone. In the attic to the
north end is a short length of another plaster frieze, similar to that in
south drawing room. Ground floor has several 4-centred arched stone
doorcases. History: still owned by the Wandesford family. Sir Christopher.
Wandesford 1592-1640 was an MP - 1621-1622 Master of the Rolls in Ireland
and sworn of the Privy Council 1633 and became Lord Deputy of Ireland 1640.
His second son Christopher made a Baronet in 1662. VCH, Vol I, pp 371-373.

Listing NGR: SE3153481315

Selected Sources

Books and journalsPage, W, The Victoria History of the County of York: North Riding, (1925), 371-373

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